Stay for suit-cases, &amp;c.



PATENTED MAY 23, 1905.

- F. L. DEMARTINI.

STAY FOR SUIT CASES, &0.

APPLIOATION FILED D30. 6, 1904.

UNITED STATES Patented. May as, 1905.

PATENT OFF CE.

FRANK L. DEMARTINI, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR TO BENJAMIN P.STROMBERG AND LEO M. KRAUS, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

STAY FOR SUIT-CASES, 81.0.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 790,483, dated May 23 1905,

Application filed December 5,1904. Serial No. 235,522.

To' all whom it may concern."

Be it known that I, FRANK L. DEMAR'IINI, a citizen of the United States,residing at St. Louis, State of Missouri, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Stays for Suit-Cases and Like Receptacles, ofwhich the following is a full, clear, and exact description, referencebeing had to the accom-- panying drawings, forming a part hereof.

My invention has relation to improvements in stays for suit-cases,sample-cases, trunks, and the like; and it consists in the novelconstruction and arrangement of parts more fully set forth in thespecification, and pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a suit-case open,showing my invention applied'thereto. Fig. 2 is a'view of the sameclosed, a part of the suit-case wall being broken away. Fig. 3 is a sideelevation of the stay detached and swung to correspond to the openposition of the lid of the case. Fig. 4 is an end view of Fig. 3. Fig. 5is a side view showing the parts corresponding to the closed position ofthe lid. Fig. 6 is a cross-section on line 6 6 of Fig. 1. Fig. 7 is aperspective view of the link or movable member of the I stay, and Fig. 8is a top plan of the stationary member of the stay.

The object of my invention is to construct a stay specially applicableto suit-cases and sample-cases, which will be simple, cheap, anddurable, one which will lock the lid of the case when once swung in anopen position, one which insures the locking of the lid without thenecessity of swinging the latter past a plane which is perpendicular tothe plane of the body of the case, and one which presents of theinclined ledge 1 is a casing or frame having upper and lowerlongitudinal walls 3 4:, respectively, end walls 5, and a longitudinalside wall 6, disposed at right angles to the walls 3 4. The bottom wall4. is wider than the top wall 3, their edges being thus disposed in aplane which is inclined to the plane of the wall 6, the object of thisarrangement being to permit the mounting of the casing on the inclinedledge 1 in such a way as to leave the wall 6 disposed in a planeparallel to the ad-' jacent wall of the body of the case or in a planeparallel to the plane of oscillation of the lid L. The casing is securedin position by means of terminal lips or ears 7 7 which are fastened tothe ledge 1. The longitudinal side wall 6 is provided with an elongatedslot 8, which terminates at the rear in a depression 9 for a purposepresently to appear. Pivotally secured to the side of the-lid L is alink 10, the terminal loop .11 thereof being bent rearwardly (thatis,toward the top of the lid) to permit theloop to be brought close to thelidtop. At a convenient point of the link 10 is formed an offset 12 ofsufficient depth to span the distance between the wall 6 and the side ofthe lid, to which the loop 11 is pivotally secured, the opposite end ofthe link being provided with a finger 13, deflected in the samedirection with the loop 11 and bent from an intermediate offset 14 atright angles to said offset, the latter being parallel with the offset12 and both offsets being at right angles to the body of the link 10.The finger 13 takes the place of the "expanded heads so common instay-links. It has the advantage of simplicity over the old constructionand has the further advantage of being readily inserted into the slot 8,the parts being so disposed when the connection between the link 10 and-slot 8 is made as to bring the finger below the slot and opposite thewall 6 for all positions of the lid be the same closed or open.

When the lid is fully open, the offset 14 rests at the bottom of therecess or depression 9, the finger 13 extending below the same andbehind the wall 6, so that the link 10 cannot be dislodged To close thelid after being once fully open, the operator trips the free lower endof the link, so as to raise the portion 14: out of the depression 9 (seedotted position in Fig. 1) opposite the slot 8, when the lid will befree to close, the link traveling forwardly along the slot, assuming forthe closed position of the lid the relative position shown in Figs. 2and 5.

The device may be used as a stay for all classes of receptacles orvessels provided with a hinged lid or cover.

Having described my invention, what I claim is 1. In combination withthe body of a case having an upper inclined ledge, and a hinged lid, acasing or stationary stay member having upper and lower walls, endwalls, and a longitudinal slotted side wall, the lower wall being ofgreater width than the upper wall, terminal ears secured to the innerwall of the ledge and disposed in a plane conforming to the inclinationof said ledge, a depression at the rear end of the longitudinal slotformed in the side wall, a link having one end pivotally secured to thelid, and having an offset spanning the distance between the slotted wallof the casing and the adjacent side of the lid, a terminal fingerengaging the slot of the stationary stay member, and an ofisetinterposedbetween the finger and body of the link for engaging the depression atthe end of the slot of the stationary member, said connectingoffsetbeing substantially parallel to the lirstmentioned ofiset, substantiallyas set forth.

2. In combination with the body of a case having an upper inclinedledge, and a hinged lid, a casing having an inclined side engaging saidinclined ledge and secured thereto, and having an innerlongitudinally-slotted side wall, and a link coupled pivotally at oneend to the lid, and having its opposite or free end in engagement withthe longitudinal slot of the side wall, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

FRANK L. DEMAR'IINI. Witnesses:

EMrL STAREK, MARY D. \VnITooMn.

